


Carpet Burn

by viceversa



Series: One Word [23]
Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M, Undercover Case, prompt meme
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-16
Updated: 2019-05-16
Packaged: 2020-03-06 04:06:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18843292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/viceversa/pseuds/viceversa
Summary: Another undercover case, another disastrous mishap.





	Carpet Burn

**Author's Note:**

> the prompt words were: champagne, carpet burn, eavesdropping  
> This is horribly written, but it’s fun, so enjoy!

_Fuck._

Scully swore under her breath.

This sting operation, or whatever the hell it was, was failing spectacularly. Their undercover plans consisted of her in a big fancy dress and Mulder who was supposed to be her ‘date,’ but had gone AWOL approximately seven minutes ago while Scully had been forced into small talk with a smarmy ass by the name of Richard “ _Call me Dick!_ ” Dush.

The last she had seen of Mulder was a glimpse of him slipping behind a curtain, following a tall blonde in a navy blue dress down a hallway. Scully had barely managed to escape another  _enthralling_  tale from Dick Dush before making her way across the ballroom inconspicuously.

She smiled at women with blank looks on their faces, attached to men who were talking business and making lewd jokes. She casually sidestepped a man who was coming her way and grabbed a champagne flute off of a waiter’s tray, taking a few sips to excuse why she wasn’t talking.

Scully made it to the curtain, which was surprisingly not guarded, and was waiting on her chance to slip in unnoticed. She got it when an impromptu samba dance broke out across the room, and everyone was enthralled.

She stifled a pang of regret. When she’d agreed to Mulder’s plan, there had been a promise of a nice night and dancing, and only a little subterfuge. She hoped they could relax at this gala after she found Mulder.

The hallway behind the velvet curtain was quiet, but she heard muffled voices around the corner. She approached the end of the hall, trying to be casual in case she was discovered. Her plan was to act drunk and lost on the way to a bathroom, and she was lucky she held on to the champagne flute this long.

Mulder’s voice became audible, and Scully flattened herself along the wall at the corner.

“—right. And of course that would mean…?”

A woman answered — the blonde woman. “It would mean that Jerry’s life insurance would give Tracy and Benny a very comfortable life, and the company would, well, obviously benefit with the rest of the assets.”

“Which was Robert’s plan, all along?”

“He and Dick and Big Roy, yeah. They’re the ones who hired all the goons anyway. This place is crawling with them.”

“I see,” replied Mulder. “Well, you’ve bene very helpful. We should probably get back…”

Scully heard a noise behind her, the rustling of the curtain.  

Then three things happened all at once.

One, Mulder and blondie rounded the corner and ran in to Scully, who happened to be off balance as she turned to look behind her.

Two, Scully fell dramatically forward, the champagne flying toward the men entering the hall and the glass shattering as it hit the floor. Scully ended up on her hands and knees.

And three, the men started to yell “Hey!” at the precise moment Scully yelled “Ah!” as she fell, which was also at the same time Mulder tried to catch Scully but failed and fell - at the same time as the blonde informant casually turn around and ran away.

Okay, maybe more than three things happened.

But the result was two undercover agents in the floor, three shady-looking men staring at them, and one blonde woman gone before anyone noticed her leaving.

“Oh, ow…” Scully grumbled. She’d initially caught herself on her hands, but when Mulder fell over her she buckled and her arms had slid painfully against the rough carpet. Glancing up as Mulder rolled over to stand, she noticed the men advancing at decided to enact her original plan.

“George! This isn’t the bathroom hallway - I told you we were goin’ the wrong way, but did you listen’ta’me? Nooo,” she slurred, swatting at Mulder’s arm.

“Sorry… sorry Katie… I’m…” Mulder immediately caught on and stumbled his way up, hitting the wall with his body a few times. “Where are we, anyway?” He bent to help Scully stand, taking the cover to check out the three guys as well.

One was blatantly staring at them, and the other two were standing guard at the curtain. The man facing them spoke. 

“Get the hell outta here. This is private property - the bathroom’s the other end!” The man gestured toward the curtain. “Idiots!”

Mulder and Scully put on their drunkenly chagrined faces and stumbled obediently out of the covered hall. Back in the ballroom, hands grasped firmly between them, they straightened and high-tailed it out the front doors and into their rental car. Only then did they speak. 

“Did you get the information? I only heard the tail-end of what she said.” Scully winced as she gathered her dress into the car, her arms stinging. She hoped she wasn’t bleeding — the dress was a rental too.

“Yeah, everything. And it’s all recorded. I’ll play it for you in the hotel—wait, are you okay? I’m, uh, sorry I sort of fell on you back there.” Mulder managed to look sheepish in the dim light of the car, taking them quickly down the block and away from the scene. “I know I said I’d be all over you in that dress, but that wasn’t what I meant.”

“Yeah that wasn’t your most smooth move, Mulder.” Scully sighed, gingerly feeling along her palms and forearms. “I’m fine, I just have some carpet burn.”

“Damn, Scully. And not even on your kn—“

“Don’t say it!” Against her will, Scully smiled at his crudeness.

“Maybe later, then.” Mulder winked and Scully slapped his arm.

Little did he know, but he was the one getting carpet burn later that night


End file.
